Cactus Pots from Sneak Peekers Caroline, Ginny, Jill, Kate, Kathie and Rho

Caroline, Ginny, Jill, Kate, Kathie and Rho made some beautiful blocks and got us off to a good start this month.

Here's Caroline's block,



Kathie's two,



and Ginny's five blocks.



Kate made four blocks.




Rho made four blocks . . . and then made five more.





And Jill also made nine blocks.



Add them all together and we have 30 blocks to start us off for the month of May. Many thinks to the sneek peekers for giving us such nice eye candy inspire us.

I've made a few blocks, too, but have had some distractions. I prmise that I will be finishing them up and adding them to the list soon.

Floral Cactus Pots in May

April showers bring May flowers . . . so for the month of May, we'll be making scrappy Cactus Pot blocks using at least one floral fabric. Kathie made this block.

Our 6 inch block pattern: Cactus Pot Quilt Block Pattern.

This quilt block design was first published as Cactus Pot in the Oklahoma Farmer Stockman, on January 1, 1930. It appeared in a monthly column that was part of that publication in the 20's and 30's called Good Cheer Quilt Patterns.

In May, we'll be going almost completely scrappy, with only a couple rules for fabric selection:

1. NO WHITES (solids or WOWs), NO CREAMS, and NO BLACKS (solids or BOBs). You MAY use fabrics that have white, black and cream in them with OTHER colors
2. At least ONE of the three fabrics you use must be a flower print of some kind.

You can use your fabrics in multiple blocks as long as none of your blocks match.

Your flower print may be used as background, the "cactus" or the "pot." You may use more than one Flower print. Your Flower might be a bright print (left-over from Terri's churn dash swap last year), an Asian print, a 30's repro, a soft color-wash print . . . anything goes. Pull some flowers from your scraps, then chose some more scraps to go with them and have fun putting together interesting combinations. Use this month as an opportunity to clean out your scrap bin or to go shopping for some fresh new flower fabrics (and fabrics to coordinate with them!) The possibilities are endless . . . for a bit of inspiration, here are some of the blocks made by sneak peekers, Caroline, Ginny, Jill, Kate, Kathie and Rho.

This basket-style block will look great in on-point settings. I've been watching Wanda work out a wonderful setting for some great scrappy batik blocks on her blog, Exuberant Color. She used a popular lotto block from last year, double 4-patch, as her alternate block. Here's a photo of her quilt top in progress.

Clinking the photo will link you to Wanda's blog article about choosing fabric for setting triangles. As you can see, her color palette is more controlled than our scrappy blocks this month, but I think there's definitely a good setting idea here.

Wrapping up April in a pretty PINK bow

I've just emailed everyone with the mailing information for your Pink Thrifty blocks. Congratulations, again, to our winners, Julie, Shelley and Barbara.

Before I clean the slate in the sidebar, I'll recap the Thrifty blocks we made in April here:

• Barbara -6
• Béatrice - 8
• Caroline - 9
• Debbie - 3
• Ginny - 2
• Jill - 9
• Julie - 8
• Kate - 9 (donate)
• Kathie - 9
• Kathy - 1
• Laura - 9
• Mary Jane - 6
• Rho - 9 + 2
• Sandy - 6
• Sharon - 2
• Shelley - 9 (donate 3)
• Shelli - 3
• Sophie - 9 (donate) + 6
• Sylvia - 9
• Terri - 8
• Wilma - 8

For a grand total of 150 blocks! Thanks, again, everyone for making April another successful month for the block lotto.

FYI, the information for May is scheduled to publish in about 30 minutes. If you emailed me with photos of May blocks; they'll also be published . . . and thank you for providing some eye candy for everyone.

April's Lucky Ladies

And the random generated numbers are.....53, 118, 3

But that doesn't help you....

Now checking the numbered list Sophie sent to me that means the winners are Julie, Shelley, and Barbara. Congratulations ladies. You have each won 50 blocks!

All in, All done . . .

What is it that the auctioneers say? I feel a little like that. The numbered list has been mailed to Michelle (mom of 11) who will be using the random number picker to choose the three winners today.

I donated my chances to our two newbies this month to give them a little newbie luck.

Everyone else's donations have been accounted for as they asked and Rho's extra chances (earned by finishing a top from lotto blocks) have also been added.

Looking at my spreadsheet, I see nine quilters in the drawing today that have not yet won lotto blocks–I'm crossing my fingers and sending good vibes to all of you.

Whatever you do for luck . . . now's the time to do it.

Three more blocks, from a newbie

I'm a brand new newbie, just joined a few minutes ago! Here are the three blocks that I made today. I found out about this after reading about it on Kate's blog. Sophie was kind enough to add me in at the last minute. Good luck, everyone.

The middle one is not really purple, it's a pink violet. Just didn't come out good in the photo.

Debbie in Jerusalem

Why you shouldn't wait till the last minute...

Here are my three blocks for this months lotto. I actually made 6 but cut the other three down to 6 inches unfinished before I realized duh....should have been 6.5. Oh well that is what I get for hurrying and trying to do these things at the last possible minute.

Sophie, I love this months colors, sure hope it's finally my turn to win.

Shelli

Kathy's Thrifty Block

Kathy in Colorado emailed a photo of her Thrifty block to me.


Her block brings our total so far this month to a nice even 144: which would mean 3 sets of 48 blocks–if there are no more blocks this month . . . time is running out.

May Hint

If you didn't receive the May sneek peek, you can still get a hint at what's coming . . . in this blog post on my blog, Sophie Junction.

This weekend, I won a give-away that included some fabric that might be perfect for using in May Blocks–check it out: Very Mary and Synchronicity

Sneek Peek Confirmation

The Sneak Peek email message was sent to everyone listed in the right side bar on Thursday. If you didn't receive it, let me know and I'll try, try again . . .

Rho has already made some of the May lotto blocks. I have gotten as far as pulling some fabrics (from my scraps, as usual ;-). I hope some of the other sneak peekers will try a block or two as well.

This block is one of my favorites . . . even though I've been calling it by the wrong name until recently. Isn't it great how we ALL can learn something new once in a while from the Block Lotto . . . she typed as she LOL at herself (is there an electronic abbreviation for that one?)

But, before we jump ahead to May, there are still a few days left to April and time to enter the drawing to win a set of Good & Plenty colored Thrifty blocks. And a few more blocks would also ensure that each of our THREE WINNERS receive nice fat sets of 48 blocks–otherwise the first two names drawn will receive 48 blocks, and winner #3 will receive a few less.

Plus 5 more from Sandy

Hi Sophie, Here are all of my blocks for the month. Six total including the first sneek peak one.

GEESE!

Jennifer,
I received your blocks in yesterdays mail. Thanks everybody, I've got all my blocks.

** Caroline **

All my geese have arrived too

Jennifer -

I received your geese in yesterdays mail and am almost finished putting my top together already!

Terri

Geese have all arrived.

Just to let everyone know, I received all my geese blocks. My sewing room is empty right now; it was just painted except for the ceiling (think my hubby will do that for me?) so I can't put them up on a design wall to admire. Thank you ladies.

Shelley

I'm ready for the Sneak Peek . . . are You?

There's still lots of time to make blocks for the lotto this month, but if you want to qualify for a sneak peek message and early info about NEXT month's lotto block, time is running out. And, in case you missed my comment on Laura's post, we now have enough blocks entered for THREE WINNERS this month!

The sneak peek deadline is noon Eastern Daylight Time (even though I don't live there any more) on Thursday, April 23.

You might be really surprised when you read what the May block is . . . I confess I was–I've been calling this block something else for as long as I've been a quilter and only just learned it's historically correct name when I turned to the Encyclopedia of Pieced Blocks to look up the history of when it was first published and who gets credit for naming it.

LJRandolph's April blocks...

What I've done with my winnings...

Sophie's post about finished quilts reminded me that I'm not sure I showed this baby quilt, made with bright cracker blocks I won back in Sept (2008) - this is something of a record for me, as the quilt was finished in early January and sent to my SIL, who had a Christmas baby. The other lotto blocks I have won have taken longer to act on...

The photo of a little quilt made from a basket block has been shown here (I actually have made 3 mini quilts from those blocks, have one more in reserve for myself and passed the rest on to my friend Ann, who has pieced together a nice top from them - she hasn't quilted it yet, but then she hasn't had them for long... )

I have also won three other sets of blocks in the time I've been playing the lotto - I won black and white Scottie Dogs (June 06) and Batik Sawtooth Stars (Oct 07), both of which have made it into tops - the Scottie Dogs will be a present for DD1 - hopefully for Christmas this year - and the Stars will be a tabletop quilt - just have to work out what to batt it with (something very thin, I think!).




The final set, purple and green Buckeye Beauties (May 08), I have yet to put together into a top, though it's on my list...

Pat's Beautiful Disapearing 9-Patch Quilt

Since many people discovered this blog because of my playing around with the Disappearing 9-patch and putting pieced blocks in the corners, I have to share Pat K's quilt, Hearts and Roses.

It was her first attempt at a disappearing 9 patch using the scrappy hearts blocks she won in Block Lotto a little over a year ago. She said that she really enjoyed putting this together because of all the hearts from everyone. I just love how it turns out and the quilting designs she chose really compliment the piecing. She meandered around the blocks and stippled around the hearts. Her friend Diana quilted the border with a digital heart pattern.

Quilts!

Pat's beautiful scrappy hearts quilt reminds me to mention that all the quilts (and some completed tops) that have been posted here are labeled quilts so . . . if you're ever curious about other lotto quilts that have been made, you can find some of them here using that label/link.

Of course, I know there have been others . . . and if you happen to have made one and would like to share a photo, please feel free to share it (or send a photo or link to me and I will post it on your behalf). There have been some beautiful quilts made over of the years . . . and more than a few sets of blocks are still aging nicely, I suspect (including the set of string blocks I won in January, 2007 ;-)

Edited to Add, remember there are INCENTIVES to completing projects or quilts from your lotto winnings. From the Block Lotto Guidelines:

INCENTIVE

If you complete a quilt from your blocks (quilted and bound), you can DOUBLE your chances (during a month of your choice). If you finish piecing a top or complete a project (or projects) using some of your lotto blocks, you can earn 4 extra chances for the month of your choice.

More Geese

I received 3 beautiful blocks from Sandy today. The list says I should have gotten 4, but it's OK, I made extras for myself. Thank you Sandy! :)

Terri

My April Thrifty Blocks

Here are my 9 blocks for April. I'd like to donate 3 of my chances to Wilma this month. ( hope this is ok to do?) She said she's been participating for a year and never won. I admire your determination to keep coming back Wilma, but I know that you enjoy making the blocks whether you win or not. I like being able to use up some of my scraps in this way and a win is a bonus! Are there others who have been trucking along for a year without a win? Maybe this is your month!

Shelley

GEESE !

I received blocks from Michele and Jill today. Beautiful blocks. Jill, thanks for the extra goodies. I absolutely love the EQ6 layout.

** Caroline **

More Geese

I received geese from Michelle today. Thank you Michelle!
Terri

Scrappy hearts Feb. 2008 Pics

I have named this quilt Hearts and Roses. This was my first attempt at a disappearing 9 patch using the blocks as the cornerstones. I really enjoyed putting this together because of all the hearts from everyone. The photos don't do it justice. It is gorgeous (if I say so myself ;o) !)

I meandered around the blocks and stippled around the hearts. My friend Diana quilted the border with a digital heart pattern . ........can't ya' just feel the love?

Thanks everyone

Pat K (phx515)